The star of Cam Newton burned all too bright. A spectacular college career preceded his run in the NFL, which included an MVP and a trip to the Super Bowl. But as his effectiveness on the ground waned, he joined the New England Patriots.
Trying to assess the market post-Tom Brady, he remained with the franchise for just one season. A surprising roster cut, he has now come clean about a conversation with legendary head coach Bill Belichick right before the end of his tenure with the team.
Cam Newton Was Just as Stunned as Everyone Else
There were a lot of question marks about Cam Newton when he first came into the league. Despite winning the Heisman, there were doubts about his dual-threat style translating to the league.
Moreover, his attitude and behavior also had organizations squeamish about bringing him in. However, he was immediately excellent for the Carolina Panthers, instantly turning them into a consistent playoff threat.
Right before a final swansong with them, he had his one-year run with the Patriots. But it came to a sudden end right before the 2021 season. Now, during an appearance on the “Downs 2 Business” podcast, he recalled his final conversation with Belichick before the dismissal.
“Your defensive coordinator cut me in New England, Matt Patricia, bro,” he said directly to Caleb Downs, who had served under him at Ohio State. “When they told me to come into the office, I was shocked.”
While he had a disappointing first year, New England still brought him back for another go at a one-year, $5.1 million price tag. But his starting position wasn’t secure, as he battled a rookie Mac Jones for the spot.
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According to PFN’s QB Impact Metric, in the lone season with the Patriots, Newton posted an impact score of 71.3 and ranked 25th in the league.
“It did not dawn on me that I was getting released,” Newton added. “Hey, I’m saying this jokingly, I knew the fat Matt Patricia, not the skinny one. He was a dude that was cool, and I got it. I understood the Patriot way.”
Then, the all-time leader in rushing attempts by a quarterback in NFL history went into detail about the exact conversation that took place inside the office and said, “When him and Bill Belichick sat me down, bro, it was so awkward.”
Explaining the situation, he added, “It was ten minutes into the meeting and they hadn’t said what they had to say. So I had to ask them the question. ‘Are y’all cutting me right now?’ And they was like, ‘Yeah. Yes. Unfortunately, we are.'”
That nearly marked the end of Newton’s tenure in the league as a whole. But with Sam Darnold getting injured, he got a chance for the storybook ending as he signed with the Panthers on a one-year deal for $6 million.
But after a disastrous run in which he started only five games, Newton did not sign another contract and ended his career.
